Hatten: History, sculpture and events

St. Ansgar’s Church in Kirchhatten dates back to 1195. This date gives the town’s history a clear historical reference point. In Sandkrug, the bronze sculpture group Osenzwerge stands directly in front of the railway station. The two places have distinct highlights: Kirchhatten with a church building whose date is precisely recorded, and Sandkrug with a named sculpture group.

Sandyfest takes place every year in Sandkrug on the first weekend in September. There are hands-on activities for all ages on and around the forest stage, with music for a wide audience in the evening. Dates and programmes may vary. If you want the festival to determine your travel dates, check the specific date and programme in advance.

The Kraxelmaxel climbing forest is right next to the swimming pool. A 2023–2024 brochure lists six courses and an introductory course. Before visiting, check whether the climbing forest is currently operating.

Culture and nature in the wider Oldenburg travel region

Within the wider Oldenburg travel region, Hude is a cultural and historical destination in its own right. Founded in 1232, the Cistercian monastery in Hude, known as “Portus Sancte Marie” (“Harbour of Saint Mary”), quickly became the spiritual, economic and political centre of the eastern part of the County of Oldenburg. The museum at Hude Monastery displays models illustrating the building’s history, archaeological finds, maps and texts about the history of the Cistercians, as well as a scriptorium where visitors can write with a quill.

The ruins of Hude Monastery preserve the remains of a three-aisled basilica with an expansive transept. “Three-aisled” describes a church interior with three longitudinal aisles; the transept runs across them. The church was originally over 57 metres long and over 24 metres wide. These measurements refer to the original building, while the ruins preserve what remains of it. They convey the scale of the church as it once stood without suggesting that these dimensions describe its present condition.

The Pestrup burial ground south of Wildeshausen is an archaeological site of regional significance in a heathland and pine forest landscape. It is also the largest continuous area of heathland in the Oldenburg district, with short and longer walks available. Here, archaeological interest meets a landscape that you can explore on foot.

The Lethe nature trail is an approximately 3-kilometre circular route through the Wardenburg Lethe lowlands. It starts at Wardenburg watermill, by the bridge over the Lethe, and lies west of Wardenburg town centre in the “Lethe” nature reserve. Local conditions may change, so check them before setting out.

A different kind of route is the 40-kilometre canoe trail on the Hunte from Wildeshausen to Oldenburg. It has 11 launch and landing points, 10 rest areas and 11 interpretive trail panels. It passes through the Wildeshausen Geest by sandbanks, steep riverbanks and forests. Unlike the approximately 3-kilometre circular Lethe trail, it is a linear canoe route rather than a walking loop—two clearly different ways to explore nature in the Oldenburg travel region.

Discover more destinations: Großenkneten, Wildeshausen, Kirchhatten, Dötlingen, Oldenburg, Kirchseelte, Ganderkesee, Harpstedt.

Back to the main travel overview: Oldenburg.